Daniel Radcliffe Opens Up About Past Alcohol Abuse: "It Was Not Making Me as Happy as I Wanted It To"

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Being Harry Potter was a life-changing experience for Daniel Radcliffe, but it wasn't without its drawbacks.

The actor, now 24, was just 11 when he rose to fame for his portrayal of the beloved boy wizard. In order to cope with the pressure of being in the spotlight, though, Daniel turned to alcohol--a substance he's abstained from since 2010.

Stars Steppin' Out

"I would have benefited from not drinking as it was not making me as happy as I wanted it to," he told Sky Arts, as excerpted by Hello Magazine.

"It is not a real pressure, but it is a pressure of living with the thought, 'Oh, what is all these people are saying I am not going to have a career?'" he said. "What if they are all going to be right and will be laughing and I will be consigned to a bunch of 'Where are they now?' lists?'"

Clearly, this hasn't been the case for Radcliffe. He's worked steadily since the final "Harry Potter" installment hit theaters in 2011, making a name for himself with movie and TV roles while also balancing a career in theater, including performances on Broadway and London's West End.

"People don't shout Harry Potter at me now,, they tend to know my name, which is lovely," he said. "But I will always credit the opportunities I get to Harry Potter. I would not be a happy person if I was bitter about those ten years of my life. "

Now, with nearly four years of sobriety under his belt, Daniel is thriving professionally--and personally, too, it seems. Earlier this month, the actor brought rumored flame Erin Dark to the Tony Awards, where his production of "The Cripple of Inishmaan" was nominated for six awards, including Best Revival of a Play (it didn't nab any of those gold statues).